The present invention relates to protective coverings and more specifically to a multi-purpose liner for a vehicle compartment.
The interior of a motor vehicle having a rear hatch or a rear opening, such as a van, minivan, SUV or station wagon, has been designed to allow users to carry a variety of things in the rear portion of the vehicle, similar to the functional purposes of a flat bed truck. In addition to providing a means for transporting objects, the interior of a van, minivan, SUV or station wagon is designed to provide a clean and comfortable environment to the people, pets or objects which are being carried. The ability to carry a variety of things in the rear part of a motor vehicle is one of the key features in designing a motor vehicle with a rear hatch or opening.
In order to maintain a clean environment within a motor vehicle when transporting utility cargo such as lumber, logs, sand, gravel or small shrubs, a temporary liner must be put in place to protect the upholstered environment of the motor vehicle. If utility cargo is placed within the motor vehicle without using some sort of protective covering, the interior of the motor vehicle has the potential of becoming damaged due to dirt or other debris left from the cargo being carried. In addition to potentially damaging the upholstery of the interior of the motor vehicle, any mechanical devices located on the floor of motor vehicle, such as seat floor anchors, could become damaged or nonfunctional due to debris being trapped within these devices.
Protective liner arrangements have been proposed. However, because the rear portion of a vehicle can typically have various configurations, e.g., the rear portion of the vehicle can have variable floor heights depending on whether the seats are folded flat or if the seats are removed, a need exists for a multi-purpose liner that is adjustable based upon the configuration of the vehicle.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a variable size bag-like protective liner for the interior of a motor vehicle with a rear opening. The liner includes a main body having a floor portion, a sidewall portion and a ceiling portion assembled together to reflect the size and shape of the rear interior cavity of the vehicle. The main body of the liner defines an internal compartment. The liner is supported by a plurality of attachments which secure the liner to the interior of the motor vehicle. In addition, each of the sidewall and the forward end portions are configured such that at least the sidewall portions can be folded upon themselves according to the height of the vehicle.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.